O’Shea steers Wathba Stallions Cup winner for Neyadi

Fresh from a three meeting suspension, multiple UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea, wasted absolutely no time in returning to the winner’s enclosure, driving Inthar to a hard fought victory in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stallions Cup For Private Owners Only race in Al Ain on January 19.

The Festival’s race opened Friday’s meeting and carried a prize fund of Dh 80,000 for the 1400m handicap.

Owned and trained by Khalifa Matar Al Neyadi, Inthar was recording a second career success, having previously won at Sharjah over 1200m in October 2016.

This was actually his sixth start of the current campaign and, having finished second on both his most recent outings, he arguably deserved to get his head back in front.

Inthar finished ahead of AF Tebyan under Ioannis Poullis while AF Muwall’Aa under Xavier Ziani took third place to make it first and third for owner-trainer Neyadi.

O’Shea said: “The plan was to miss the break a little bit because he has been racing too keenly and that worked well so I was able to ride a proper race on him. I spoke to the trainer and he agreed that was the best strategy so; luckily it has worked out perfectly. It is great to be back in the saddle and, obviously, a winner straight up is great!”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, Al Massood Automobiles and Nissan Middleast as official car partners, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority for Sports and sponsored by Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2018, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan with Inputs from Emirates Racing Authority